The Victorian Farm Complete Set [DVD]

This special edition boxset combines the original Victorian Farm series of six episodes with the follow-up Christmas mini-series, to give nine episodes in total. Together they make charming, informative entertainment -- and the box-set format is ideal if you missed any of the programmes. It's also nice to be able to watch these programmes in bigger chunks -- you really get into the feel and flow of rural Victorian life.
In case you're not familiar with these programmes at all, the series follows a team of archaeologists and historians, helped by a cast of experts, to live on a working farm for a whole year using only the techniques and facilities of the Victorian era. The result is a thoroughly engaging, educational and entertaining programme firmly rooted in the traditions of British agriculture and rural life.
The trio of main presenters are experts in domestic and agricultural history and they cheerfully tackle all manner of tasks with informed enthusiasm. To make the project feel `real' the team wear period clothes and use only the materials which would have been available in 1885.

The farm is at the Acton Scott estate in Shropshire; a breath-takingly beautiful area which provides a glorious (and frequently very cold) backdrop to the agricultural action. The Acton Scott working farm has preserved antique tools, buildings and machinery collected by the Acton family who have lived on the estate since the 12th century. The filming follows the team as they move into a Victorian smallholding which hasn't been used for 50 years, and turn it back into a working farm complete with rare breed pigs and sheep, a shire horse, dairy cows and free range fowl.
Throughout the year the team tackle the regular tasks of rural life - all without electricity or tractors, of course! They restore the cottage, thresh the wheat crop, sow a new crop, install a range for heat and cooking in the kitchen, fuel up with coal, make cider and preserves, learn how to shepherd livestock, build pigsties, tackles the four-day job that is hand-washed laundry, guides their ewes through pregnancy to lambing, fell wood to build fencing, catch rabbits for the pot, revel in the delights of ginger pigs, look after a lame horse, experience steam power, try beekeeping and bring in the harvest. Not everything goes smoothly for the Victorian farmers and we learn alongside them - how to check if a ewe is pregnant, or making lip balm from mutton fat. All of it is fascinating.
The scope of a full year spent on the farm allows the programme to demonstrate the natural progression of the seasons and the way they used to affect the men and women who lived directly off the land.

The Christmas mini-series then concentrates on capturing the essence of a Victorian Christmas as it would have been experienced on that same farm. It follows the same pattern as the original series, using authentic replica equipment and clothing, original recipes and techniques to demonstrate how Christmas was celebrated throughout the social scale. Ruth, Alex and Peter return to the farm buildings on the English / Welsh border. They then get to grips with all the work that needs doing on the estate in the run up to the festive season, starting with making hay for winter animal feed, choosing a new ram for the flock, restoring the blacksmith's forge, finding a yule log (without breaking modern conservation rules!), give that handsome Shirehorse Thumper a new set of shoes, and locate a suitable Christmas tree/
But perhaps the most enjoyable segments of this mini-series are the domestic ones where Ruth Goodman tends to take over. If Christmas is all about food and decorations and gift-giving, then she's totally in her element. She demonstrates how mincemeat was originally made plus basics like bread and butter; tries out winter woollies including blankets made from paper; makes remedies for coughs and colds; investigates and creates Christmas crackers; makes an authentic pudding; dyes ribbons and generally tackles all tasks with an infectious air of enthusiasm.
No hesitation about recommending this as festive viewing for all ages. It's entirely suitable to give as a gift to your grandparents, or for younger viewers or the whole family. This is an absolute gem of a series; intelligent, educational and entertaining. We found it charming - and not a little sad when the team finally leave the Victorian Farm for good...

9/10
Also recommended in a similar vein:
The Victorian Pharmacy [DVD]
Tales From The Green Valley [DVD]

If, like me, you sometimes feel as if you were born slightly out of your correct time or, if you just enjoy seeing and learning about Victorian Britain, then take a vist to Victorian Farm for a few hours.
This absolutely superb series of programmes records what happened when Ruth Goodman, Peter Ginn and Alex Langlands decided to live as Victorian farmers for a whole year, on a Victorian farm with no modern farming aids.
The resultant series of films is a masterpiece in the observance of what it was like to survive as a Victorian farmer. Ruth, Peter and Alex, as well as a whole host of other visiting experts in Victorian farm history, tell the day to day tale of everyday life including the high momments such as new life being born and harvests being brought in, as well as the lows, such as the unexpected early onset of winter and the endless cycle of hand washing that can take Ruth up to four days to complete!

The very best part of this enthralling series though, has to be the fantastic warmth and homour that exists between the three regular experts of Ruth, Peter & Alex. Although packed full of fascinating facts and information it is never dull or dry, not even for a second and that's because of the wonderfull friendly banter which is ever present between the three. Despite the many trials of Victorian farming life there are a great many laugh out loud moments when things don't go quite as planned, leading to many an amusing quip between the three friends.

This is informative and educational and it is a brilliant example of a true "Fly on the wall", documumentary in the best BBC traditions but at the same time it also manages to be very warming and humourous, truly an entertainment in its own right. The really great news is that, if after you have enjoyed your visit to the Victorian Farm and its Victorian Christmas and find yourself craving for more living history, you'll be glad to hear that the same three take a further trip back in time to the Edwardian Farm and that proves to be every bit as informative and entertaining!

This DVD series was all that I expected and more. Beautifully done, the actors/participants in the series were genuine and seemed to really enjoy what they had undertaken. In addition to entertainment, I learned so much about farming ways (explained alot of the old machinery I've seen at sales)both outside and inside the home. Highly recommend if you are a lover of history.